In completing oil and gas wells, particularly deep wells, subsea wells, horizontal wells, and other unique areas, it is extremely advantageous and cost effective to minimize entry into the well bore for actuating the various types of equipment to perform the initial well completion after the well tree is in place.
The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus of completing a well, such as an oil and/or gas well, or injection well, by minimizing the need for physical intervention of mechanical equipment into and out of the well bore to operate various downhole equipment, such as packers, shifting sleeves, setting plugs, etc. The mechanically actuated operation of these well devices is time-consuming and expensive, particularly in deep wells. In addition, in some types of well completions, such as in horizontal completions, it is difficult to mechanically actuate well equipment in the horizontal component of the well, or perform the usual well operations using coil tubing and gravity fed wireline operations. In addition, the individual downhole devices may include transducers to provide an electrical feedback signal to the well surface to provide surveillance, and insure that a complete and successful actuation and operation of all of the downhole devices has been performed throughout the completion procedure. That is, the downhole devices are electrically actuated in proper sequence by surface electrical controls through an electrical conductor to each individual device from the surface to complete the well. A return signal to the well surfaces indicates the functional position of each device thereby allowing the well to be brought into production safely, quickly and inexpensively.